Environmental regulations dictate that the material selection in the vehicular industry needs to be halogen free and heavy metal free compositions especially for the vehicular materials. Typically, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is utilized because of its combination of competitive raw materials costs and desirable properties. These properties include processibility, toughness, chemical resistance and ability to withstand temperatures typical for many applications in automotive environments.
Unfortunately, the chlorine content of PVC limits its disposal at the end of the life of the vehicle. Also there are concerns about effects on health and the environment by PVC by-products and PVC plasticizer. Accordingly, therefore, a replacement for PVC has long been sought with an intent to find competitive cost efficient replacements. In addition, performance must be taken into account including high temperature endurance, toughness, processability and also reduction in weight.
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) can also be considered a halogen free material for tape. However, PET based tapes are limited to uses where high performance is needed because of cost and price. Typically, this would be for performance needs such as high temperature, endurance sound deadening or toughness.
It is therefore desirable to have a harness covering material that is cost effective and still achieves desirable characteristics such as lack of halogens and heavy metals, appropriate temperature resistance, scrape abrasion resistance, resistance to heat aging, resistance to automotive fluids and resistance to flame and in particular to be capable of meeting the standard SAE (Society of automotive Engineers) J2192 or LV312 and offers all these properties with a reduction in weight.